Also known as water dogs and mudpuppies, salamanders can make for a very interesting animal. Their skin displays some amazing patters, and they make excellent pets for enthusiasts, and children. They are also cheap to care for making them an ideal pet for the economically minded.
Catching
Salamanders can be found in most damp, swampy areas in the leaf litter or near the waters edge. They have also been know to fall into the basement window ditches of houses. You can find them under rotting logs, large rocks, in caves. Pretty much anywhere there is shade and moisture. They love to come out at night to eat night crawlers, so this is an ideal time to find them. Just get yourself a flashlight and a net, and go out looking near water sources. They are also sold in pet stores in their adult forms.
Housing
A ten gallon aquarium can easily house two salamanders, or a large plastic critter carrier makes a good, cheap home for a single pet. Whatever you choose, be sure to clean it out before hand. Salamanders are amphibians, so they absorb water and chemicals through their skin which can make them sick. Once that’s done, you have to choose a substrate. There are many to choose from: sand, fish tank marble rocks, gravel, mud, leaves, but my favorite is moss. most of these items hold moisture well, which is important because salamanders love water. Once you have that taken care of, you can either put about an inch of water in the tank, or you can get a large, shallow water dish. Either choice is fine. Your pet will slip into the dish whenever it feels dried out. If you get a salamander that is still in its larval form (has feathery gills on the sides of its head) use the same setup as you would a fish tank. You wont need to keep the water ass deep, and you should provide a large rock or piece of wood above the water level for them to climb out on when they mature. When this happens, drain the water until it is about twice as deep as your pet is tall. Eventually the gills and fin-like tail will disappear, and he will be ready for the adult setup. There are few other considerations for a salamander tank. They don’t need any kind of heating. Their tank should be cleaned out about once a week. They don’t like bright lights or heat lamps. But you should make sure they have a lid; some species are good climbers.
Feeding
Salamanders can eat surprisingly big meals. The aquatic larvae will eat fish, and even smaller salamanders if they are hungry enough. Their ideal food is night crawlers, shrimp/krill, small goldfish, and reptile sticks (though it can be tricky to teach them to eat these.) the best time to feed your pet is late afternoon when it starts to get dark, but after your pet gets used to its home, it will start to come out earlier. Salamanders snap up anything that moves (and even a few things that don’t) so you won’t have to worry about them not eating. Just don’t overfeed them. A fat salaamed is an unhealthy one.
Friends
Although salamanders will eat anything small enough to fit in their mouths, you can put in companion animals of comparable size such as toads and other salamanders. As long as you keep your pets well fed, they should get along just fine, but be careful when throwing a night crawler in with two salamanders; they might fight over it. In the wild salamanders can sometimes be found in large herds of up to a hundred or more.
Sexing/Breeding
Sexing a mature salamander is easy in early spring during their mating season. The male is larger and at this time his testis swell up. You will notice two bulges at the base of the tail. The females “plump up” at this time, putting on body fat to help develop of eggs. breeding , though something I highly encourage due to decreasing salamander populations, can be a bit tricky. The easiest way to do it is to move your tank out to a shed or garage when winter starts. This will make them hibernate which is important. When the snow starts to melt, bring your pets back inside. Once they wake up, create some rain with a sprayer or hose once a day. All you need do now is provide a suitable place for them to lay eggs, which sadly I can’t tell you how to do because it varies from species to species. Some lay their eggs in water, others in damp leaves. If you are serious about breeding them, learn what species you have, and do more detailed research. If successful, raise the young until they are mature and then release them where you found the parents (provided they are a native species) this is a good way to help replenish the losses of these creatures caused by habitat destruction. They are a necessary part of the ecosystem and must be maintained.
Handling
For the most part I recommend against handling salamanders. They are a bit nippy, and some exotic species secrete toxins through their skin which can be harmful. If you do touch your pet for any reason, as with all reptiles and amphibians, WASH YOUR HANDS.
Other Considerations
Mud puppies are actually a different species than salamanders that can stay in their larval state for years until conditions change enough for them to come onto land; they can even mate in this form. The largest salamanders in the world live in Asia and is several feet long, and very aggressive. Salamanders are becoming harder to find due to deforestation, so unless you know how to breed the species in your area, please get one from a store.
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User Comments
emaly
On August 5, 2008 at 3:42 pm
where can i find a salamander????
Togot
On August 6, 2008 at 2:36 am
Emaly, depending on where you live, salamanders live near rivers, streams and lakes; they like to hide in leaf litter and damp areas. you’ll have to have a keen eye, but i’m sure you can find one if you try
CourtneyRae
On October 12, 2008 at 3:43 pm
I found mine on the side of the road in the country…. probably heading for water. they are everywhere this time of year tho
Amber
On December 30, 2008 at 10:44 am
I hold my salamander all the time. It curls up on me and crawls on me. Its one of nicest salamanders Ive ever had. Some salamanders can be like this…maybe.
Max
On January 6, 2009 at 2:12 pm
My salamander seems to be sleeping alot lately. Is he hibernating? or is he clinically depressed? What would the dose of Zoloft be for a 7.5 inch critter named Sparky?
Togot
On January 6, 2009 at 3:04 pm
Max, it is most likely a form of hibernation brought on by the colder months. my turtles become very lethargic during this time of year and refuse to eat anything until spring time. it shouldn’t be anything to worry about
Nadia
On February 26, 2009 at 4:11 pm
So you really shouldn’t hold salamanders? I am thinking about getting one for a pet, but I want to be able to handle it and play with it.
Togot
On February 27, 2009 at 2:38 am
Nadia, for the most part, salamanders don’t like being held. you can pick them up and hold them, but don’t expect them to play with you. they are slippery little things that will probably try to escape from you, or bite at your fingers if they feel threatened.
Gemma
On March 19, 2009 at 4:07 am
Can you tell me of a search engine where i can find what type of salamander is mine as the woman in the shop said she didn’t know. He’s brownish green all over but his belly is cream with a bright orange stripe all the way from the head to the tail with little brown freckles all around it. I was told he might be a skint but i am not entirely sure and i’ve been all over google trying to find out. Also he has no neck i know that sounds weird, and he’s just shed his first skin he was about an inch long when i got him and now he’s about 2 inches i need to know just incase i should get a bigger tank thanks form Gemma
please e-mail me at gemstone3369@yahoo.co.uk
Audra
On March 28, 2009 at 10:53 pm
I found my salamander when we were having our concrete pourch busted up to poor a new pourch. He was under the rock. I believe he is a northwestern salamandor, or a mole salamander. This will be the third day that I have had him, and I have given him crickets and mill worms. He will not eat. How warm or cool does the tank need to be? Today I went to check on him and I picked him up and he had a green slimy like substance on him, does anyone know what that is?
Togot
On March 29, 2009 at 5:15 pm
Gemma, i’m afraid i don’t know of any search engine for identifying specific species.
Audra, Room temperature should be fine for a salamander. Try feeding him an earthworm. Like most cold blooded animals, salamanders enter a hibernation faze during this time of year even if they are warm so he might still be a little lethargic. I’m not sure about the slime. It might just be normal mucus that they use to keep moist, or he may have shed his skin recently.
Fred
On April 13, 2009 at 1:16 pm
I have looked everywhere for a salamander and i still can’t find one is it to cold on April,13/09. I have looked in water creeks and lakes. I live in Camrose, Alberta but i live in the country is there even salamanders living in Alberta?
Fred
On April 13, 2009 at 1:18 pm
If there is plz tell me everywhere i should look for sals…. i really want one… thank you.
Fred
On April 13, 2009 at 1:20 pm
And could you tell me when they come out of hibernation
Sami
On April 13, 2009 at 9:24 pm
i love salamanders!!!!!
Togot
On April 13, 2009 at 9:53 pm
Fred, I’m afraid I don’t know much about that area. I live in Illinois, and here it’s still too cold for salamanders to be coming out just yet. as for where to look, anyplace that has a water source and damp underbrush is usually a prime spot for salamanders. you can even make traps for them by digging a small hole and dropping in some damp leaves to attract them. If you still have no luck catching a wild animal, many pet stores sell them.
Bobby Jack
On April 16, 2009 at 2:57 pm
Hey I’m Bobby Jack! (You know, the monkey?) Well I was thinking about getting a salamander and I was wondering if they have to stay in dark places. Can you help me out?
Togot
On April 16, 2009 at 10:17 pm
Bobby Jack, as long as you provide a hiding place within the enclosure, you should be able to place the it in any room.
Charlotte & Natasha
On April 21, 2009 at 4:10 pm
We have lots of salamanders around where we live in the redwood forests of the Santa Cruz Mountains. They are the dark brown-reddish kind. Ours is pretty small, but does not have the gills on the outside any more. Maybe he is a baby salamander. We found him under a flower pot. We are building him a small home out of a plastic rectangle container. Now we are going to try and find him some food. Like earthworks and centipedes.
hunter
On April 21, 2009 at 6:01 pm
how do you find a salmender
Togot
On April 23, 2009 at 5:47 pm
hunter, Salamanders can be found in most damp, swampy areas in the leaf litter or near the waters edge. They have also been know to fall into the basement window ditches of houses. You can find them under rotting logs, large rocks, in caves. Pretty much anywhere there is shade and moisture. They love to come out at night to eat night crawlers, so this is an ideal time to find them. Just get yourself a flashlight and a net, and go out looking near water sources. They are also sold in pet stores in their adult forms.
Dave
On May 5, 2009 at 9:57 pm
hi i have had a slaamander for 3 days now.it is a baby. about 2 inchs including tail. i have reptial sticks but i dont think its eatting them. so i cut up a worm and made 3 peices.
Do u think it will eat it? even tho its bigger than its mouth?.its heas is about a cm.
also i keep thinking its dead so i poke it sometimes. but i think i hurt it? it went under a rock once i did this but i wasnt trying to hurt it!
will it be ok?
Togot
On May 6, 2009 at 5:02 am
Dave, i don’t think you hurt it, but you probably stressed it and it wanted to hide to feel safe. try feeding it smaller worms and insects such as ants.
kkasey
On May 22, 2009 at 3:08 pm
i have a salamander that my little brother found today. we dont no anything about salamanders. it is about 1.5-2″ long and is a dark muddy brown color. plz & thank you
Togot
On May 22, 2009 at 8:39 pm
Kkasey, i’m afraid i’m not really sure what your asking me. if you want to know about basic salamander care, just read the article, and if there are any questions that it doesn’t cover, ask me and i will try to answer
hunter mason
On May 28, 2009 at 11:55 am
hi,im a girl who found a baby salamander about 2 inches big.i put in a jar with a paper towel on top.the jar is not very big.but my grandparents dont really want to buy a critter cage either.i cant get any thing for it to eat either.i need help.what do i do?
hunter mason
On May 28, 2009 at 12:01 pm
and i think my salamander is either solid black or black with an orange stripe down his back and does he need holes poked in the paper towel or can he breath through the paper towel?
Togot
On May 28, 2009 at 2:55 pm
hunter mason, although paper towels are not air tight, better safe than sorry. as for food, look under logs and rocks for beetles, worms, and any other insects small enough for it to eat. you can also go to a pet store and buy crickets.
hunter mason
On May 28, 2009 at 5:05 pm
thanks.i bought dried krill fish treats.do u think he will eat it?i broke it in half.can he break through paper towel?
hunter mason
On May 28, 2009 at 5:07 pm
do you know what type he is?i explained what he looks like.plz.and thank you
hunter mason
On May 29, 2009 at 7:25 am
HE DID NOT EAT THE KRILL.WE SPENT ALMOST 3.00 ON IT.I DONT WANT HIM TO DIE EITHER.YESTERDAY,MY DOG ALMOST ATE A LIZARD.I STOPPED HIM IN TIME.HE BIT OFF THE LIZARDS TAIL.AFTER THAT THE LIZARD BARELY MOVED.BUT I PUT HIM IN WITH THE SALAMANDER,AND HE’S SUPER ENERGETIC.DID I MAKE A BAD DECISION TO PUT THEM TOGETHER.
HUNTER MASON
On May 29, 2009 at 1:59 pm
MY SALAMANDER DIED TODAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!IM MAD!TOGOT,PLZ ANSWER MY QUESTIONS I ASKED EVEN THOUGH MY SALLY IS DEAD.DONT BOTHER ANSWERING THE QUESTION ABOUT WHAT TYPE HE IS.IM SAD.I’LL BE GRIEVING FOR A COUPLE OF MINUTES.HE DIED 10 MINUTES AGO.I HOPE HE HAS A GOOD TIME IN HEAVEN!PLZ ANSWER BACK!
Togot
On May 29, 2009 at 2:30 pm
HUNTER MASON, Salamanders prefer moving, live food, such as worms and insects. Though I doubt the krill is what killed him. What exactly did you have in the jar with him? Salamanders need to be kept moist in order to survive, but chlorinated water can kill them.
hunter mason
On May 29, 2009 at 6:17 pm
i had a stick,water, another lizard,krill,and him in it.i think the lizard killed him.the lizard trampled him
Hannah
On June 24, 2009 at 4:32 pm
Hey Togot! I’m Hannah, and i’ve got a couple questions that i hope you can help me out with! ;D
So I have 2 mole salamanders, I spent an hour on google trying to be 100% positive that they were infact mole salamanders. they are about 2-3inches long (roughly) they are black with blue/violet polka dots.
ok question number one, how can you tell if its a boy or a girl?
question number two, I have a 10gallon tank, what type of things should I put in it to make them feel at home?
and question number three, should I get a heating lamp or something cooler for them?
I read that they are most comfortable in 72 degreese F. I live in illinois. and its way hotter than that right now, so how can I make them feel most comfortable?
Togot
On June 25, 2009 at 1:04 pm
Hannah, male salamanders are larger with longer tails and their testis tend to swell during mating season. Females grow fatter. Depending on whether or not they are still aquatic, you’ll either need to tank of water with some cover in it and a dock you pets cam can climb out on when they wish to change, or a moist moss substrate with a hiding place and water dish. Salamanders don’t need too much heat and they dislike birth lights. I also live in Illinois, so I know what you mean about the heat. I put my frogs down in the basement where it’s a little cooler, but if you can’t do that, just keep them in the shade.
Hannah
On July 2, 2009 at 12:48 am
Yeah I live in the basement so thats where they are at right now. I have baked moss (that i got wet) on top of muck, with a fake log for them to hide under, they seem to like it alot! They like to barry themselves, its so cute! then about 6 inches (in lenght) of water, with some rocks around it for them to “sun tan” ;D
however, I’m having another issue.
How often should I feed them, and what exactly should I feed them.
I bought extra small crickets, and i’m not sure if they ate them or not, because someone just put them in the tank and didnt listen to me when I said we should feed them in a seperate container…
is it a good idea to feed them in a seperate container, just to ensure that they are eating? Or should I just put the food in the tank and let them hunt for it?
When I cleaned out their tank I found most of the crickets dead in the muck, this is why I am asking..
Togot
On July 2, 2009 at 2:31 am
Hannah, Salamanders eat a variety of things including insects, small fish, but they love worms, especially night crawlers. Putting them in a separate feeding container isn’t a bad idea, especially if you’re finding out what foods they like and don’t like. Like most predators, salamanders key in on movement. Try wiggling a worm in front of its face, and it should bite. Just be careful with your fingers. As for how often you feed them, depending on their size, about one or two worms a day should be fine. They can be voracious little guys.
alma
On July 20, 2009 at 9:46 pm
We got a water dog from the pet store and they said it would turn into a tiger salamander. Our friend got their water dog from the same pet store and theirs turned into a salamander within two weeks. Ours has been in the same state for about 3 months now. Will he ever turn into a salamander? How long does it take for them to turn to their adult state. My son is getting anxious about his pet, “Tigger”.
Togot
On July 21, 2009 at 2:33 am
Alma, it depends on age, and environment. If there is too much water and no land to crawl onto, they can stay aquatic for the rest of their lives. A friend of mine had one for two years in an aquarium filled completely with water. After I told him to drain most of the water and put in some land, it changed within a week.
acey
On August 1, 2009 at 4:23 pm
i have found around a hundered salamanders in my back yard i think they are tiger salamanders (they are black with a orange strip) i have a old fish tank but it is only 15inches long and 30inches high, is that big enough for 2 or even 1?
will they eat just normal cut up worms?
i have read your artical but they have veary small mouthes.
please help!
Togot
On August 3, 2009 at 4:22 pm
Acey, A ten gallon aquarium usually works best with salamanders. As for food, if earthworms are too big, try red wrigglers. They are much smaller.
veronica
On October 9, 2009 at 5:23 pm
togot my daughter just found a salamander in a bucket what do i need to do 4 it we have turltes in a tank can we put him with them
Hester
On November 4, 2009 at 2:21 pm
Thank you for all your helpful info.
I found a Northern 2-lined salamander last week. I’m familiar with salamanders, where they live etc. but didn’t know, for example, about how to determine the sex.
I work at an Environmental Education Center and we like to keep critters for show. Most of them we only keep for a limited time and then release. I want to teach proper handling of them but don’t want to make children think that salamanders are something to fear. I know about their sensative skin and toxins that they can produce but do you know if any of the adult salamanders in the East Coast are paticularly toxic? Do some not produce toxins at all?
Also It’s nice to get advice from someone who has experience with keeping salamanders. Thanks again.
Togot
On November 10, 2009 at 4:29 am
Hester, males are larger with longer tails. Their testes swell up in early spring in preparation for mating season while females become fatter. I’m afraid I’m not familiar with any specific species of that region, but salamander toxins are mostly dangerous if ingested, so washing your hands thoroughly after handling them should keep you safe.
Dane Reising
On November 20, 2009 at 3:16 am
I JUST FOUND A SALAMANDER NOT TOO LONG AGO WHEN I WAS MUSHROOM PICKING! he was in a damp area next to a rotting tree under some leaves. Completely stumbled across him on accident. Best believe i brought him home, and lives happily ever after?
poop
On February 7, 2010 at 7:41 pm
guess what i like cheeeeeeeeeeese
jamie
On February 9, 2010 at 6:41 pm
i work in an aquatics shop and we had been selling axolotls for some time one escaped some time ago we are thinking about 3 months ago, yesterday whilst changing a system filter i fought i had found the dead axolotl as i went to pick it up it started moving and tried biting me and i have looked this up and found that in rear conditions and axolotl can evolve in to a salamander. really cool stuff o and he is albino …..
Anita
On April 8, 2010 at 12:05 am
We just bought a salamander but we don’t know what type it is. It’s grayish with black spots. We’re under the impression that the tank needs to be 3/4 full of water and it just swims and floats in it all day long as that’s how we bought it. However after doing some research on Google, it looks like it should be a dry environment with a water dish or pool for it to soak in when it wants to. How do we know if we’re doing the right thing? We’ve had it for about 5 days and it’s looking very skinny and sick, its skin is breaking out and flaking away, and red blotches are starting to show. I’m afraid it’s going to die in a few more days.
Togot
On April 9, 2010 at 8:00 pm
Anita, it depends on whether or not it is still in its larval form. If your salamander has gills and a paddle tail, it should be fine in water. If it has matured and has a fat tail and no gills, then a land based setup would be better, but not dry. Salamanders are amphibians and most will die if they get too dry. Moss substrate with plenty of moisture usually works pretty well with them. As for his skin. I can’t be sure without seeing for myself, but it sounds like he might be molting. to stop him from getting too thin, check to make sure he is eating. If he is, try increasing his food intake, if not hen he is most likely sick and should be taken to a vet.
Anita
On April 9, 2010 at 11:37 pm
Thank you for replying! Ours has the gills and paddle tail, so we bought a larger aquarium with filter system for it. I also dug up earthworms as well as bought some crickets to feed him, he seems to be fattening back up and getting better. His skin blotches and redness have gone, I think the new aquarium with filter is giving him better quality water (with water conditioner of course). I’m so relieved he looks like he’s going to survive! There’s a pet shop just up the road that sells crickets and mealworms that I can pick up regularly for him.
ashley
On April 19, 2010 at 2:51 pm
we have had a salamander for about a year and a half now. he has always eaten live crickets but only recently he has stopped eating. is he dying? do you have any suggestions for what we should do?
Togot
On April 21, 2010 at 3:32 am
Ashley, try offering your pet something new to eat such as an earth worm. If that doesn’t work, your pet may be ill and you should take it to a vet
cougar
On May 2, 2010 at 5:38 pm
I own cows!!!!!!!!!!
waterKow
On July 28, 2010 at 9:11 pm
hi, i just found about 30 salamanders when i was camping they were in small puddles in a small dried out stream i put three in a cup an took them home and now they are in a small tank with a fcloating log and alot of water. an they are still larvae but they are growing legs and i dont know what to feed them . can you help me?
Togot
On July 29, 2010 at 3:14 am
WaterKow, try worms, beetles, crickets and small feeder fish
waterKow
On July 29, 2010 at 9:53 am
Thank You, I also have another question, Should I put tiny Rocks on the bottom, or mud or nothing?rite now i have nothing on the bottom of the tank
Togot
On July 29, 2010 at 6:27 pm
WaterKow, what you put at the bottom of your tank is a personal choice. rocks look nice, but make the tank harder to clean out because you have to rinse the rocks as well as the tank. mud isn’t a good idea because it will make the water cloudy, gunk up a filter, and anytime your pet stirs up the sediment that settles at the bottom, you won’t be able to see anything. I keep a very thin layer of aquarium stones at the bottom of my tanks because it looks nice and isn’t too much trouble to clean.
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